US1598585A - Incubator - Google Patents

Description

' Aug 31, 1926. l l 1,598,585

Hy. E. ALMENDINGER l INGUBATOR Filed August 10, 1923 2 Sheets-'Sheet l 11:1 5- V3 ,if ,5

Elf E f2 al 7 Z' B sa 5l y INVEXT CIN Aug. 31, 925.

H. E. ALMENDINGER INCUBATORL l Filed August 10, 1923 2:4 M ,5

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 kME/wdw/ Patented Aug. 31, A 1926.'

UNITED STATES HARRY E. .ALMENDINGER, OF ROCKY RIDGE, OHIO.

INCUBATOR.

Application rfiled August 10, 1923. Serial No. 656,642.

This invention relates to multiple chamber'and multiple tray incubators.

, rlfhis invention has utility when incorpoil'at'ed asa sectional structure, especially for custom hatching ot-poultry eggs. y Referring to the drawings Fg. 1 is a view. in elevation` from the incubation side of an incubator embodying the invention; partsjb'eing broken away;

yFig.,2 is a view in elevation from the hatchingside ofthe incubator of Fig. 1; partsbei-ng broken away;

F ig.'` 3 is a section on the line III-111, Fig. 1;

F ig. 4 is a away;

Fig. 5 is a perspective. view of a tray rack,

plan view, parts being broken and Fig. 6 is a detail of a modiiied form.

As herein disclosed the incubator housing comprises end sections 1, 2, incubator side sections 3, 'hatching side sections 4, and top sections 5. By increasing thenumber of'sections 3, 4, 5, the extent of the incubator between the ends 1, 2, may be as desired. These sections of the incubator. housing are built up as effective non-conductors of heat. The incubation side section 3 is provided with doors 6, 7 while the hatching side 4 is provided vwith an upper door 8.

J ust inside the doorway of the section 3 crossbars 9`are fixed, having inwardly extending studs or heads 10 as pivot bearings, opposing similar iixed pivot bearings 1l carried by vertical partition 12 extending upward short of the top 5 to leave opening 13 thereover between incubating chamber 14 and hatching chamber 15. Below the incubating chamber 14 is baiie 16 for dividing the air current as entering the incubating chamber by way of opening 17 below the partition 12 or louver 12. This louver or open section allows warm air to rise from the heating chamber below the fan 20 to pass into the incubating chamber, while warm air as rising in the incubating chamber may pass upward through the louver 12 intoV the hatching chamber above the tan for recirculation down into the heating chamber for redelivery to 'the incubating chamber...The hatching chamber 15 as herein shown 1s not of as great vertical height as the incubating chamber 14. The lower portion ot the hatching chamber 15 extends to partition 18 having central opening 19 therein for electric fan 2O operable to accelerate air circulation downward in heating chamber 21 below the hatching chamber 15.

Adjacent the end 1 is disposed oil heater 22 having heating line 23 as a riser passing into the incubator to heating pipe sections 24 connected by` return bends 25, 26, and back by-line 27 to the heater 22. In extending the heater to accommodate additional incubator sections, return bends 25 are shifted along and the space thus provided is lilled in with couplings 28, and unions 29, included with 'additional sections 24, allcarried by brackets 30 from, 'the partition 12 and disiposed in the heating chamber 21 inner side .elow the fan 20'.` Controllable opening 31 near the ioor end of the hatching' side wall or section 4 permits inflow of fresh air by way lof duct 32 rising to have its discharge end 33 Vjust back of the fany20. Above the chamber 14 of each sectionk is foul air escape opening 34 in the top sections 5. Carried by the top section 5 and mounted in the upper portion of the chamber 14 is thermostat l35 (Fig. 1) electiveto operate lever 36 over the top 5, which lever 36 has link 37 downwardly` extending to draft controlling disk 38 at the heater 22, thereby ,insuring automatic temperature control for the incubator.

Removable independent tray racks are provided. Preferably out of a medium` light gage of galvanized iron, side strips having bottom anges 39 and upstanding side flanges 40 are anchored in opposing relation by middle dat brace 41riveted to the flanges 39, and terminal strips having bottom flanges 42 are riveted to the ends of the lianges 39. lFrom the flanges 42 depend stiltening 'flanges 43 centrally having bearing pivot receiving openings 44, for receiving the heads 10, 11, and thereover smaller portions 45 holding the heads against displacement. The crossbars 9,43, may be sprung sufficiently to eilect this rockable assembly of' the trayracks. The side flanges 40 at the inner end carried by the bearings 11, have langes 46 extending inwardly but slightly to limit sliding movement of trays 47 into thc racks. The trays 47 are drawer like as to surrounding side walls and have openwork or mesh bottoms. These trays 47 aremounted inv columns inthe chamber 14 and in columns in the chamber 15. The column height in the chamber 14 carries a multiple in its number of trays as to the number of trays in the vertical Column in the chamber 14. This umn 15, and twelve in the column 14, so that with four trays set at a time in the column 14, such'may be shifted over simultaneously to the column 15. The middle brace 41 as extending below the flan es 39, terminates in twisted ears 48, whic in the vertical series -on each side of the column of tray racks, are connected, as by chains 49. An

pushing of one side of a rack downwar will,rthrough the chain from its o posite side pull the opposite side'of racks t erebelow upward, while on the same side will pull racks thereover downward. This means that the entire series of racks of a sin le column may be rocked simultaneously. T is rocking of the racks serves to shift the position of eggs in the trays as to the gravity action thereon, so that the heavier yolk or chick forming portion may float differently as tothe shell and not tend to settle into adhering relation with a shell side. With'100 eggs Aper, tray and 12 trays toa column, there is thus readily effected` a shifting of 1200 eggs simultaneously. As herein disclosed, two columns of incubating trays are provided for each section. For settings of every 3% days with chicken eggs having an incubation period of 21 days, four trays of eggs per section may be set at' one time, thus giving a `3% day period for hatching by providing guides at the doors 8 in the hatching chamber 15 of capacity for four trays. y

In the more advanced periods of incubation less heat is required for maintaining continued growth of the chick in the egg. The period close to hatching is one during which there is actuallya giving oit of heat bv the egg, and for live healthy chicks, suc heat from the advanced stages of incubation should not build up. While the heat of hatching eggs may run close to 105 F., it is desirable `to kee the temperature at least 2 or 3 lower, an with maintained circulation no ill effects may ensue to the hatching chicks. Regulation of the fresh air intake determines the rate of spill at the foul airescape, and also determines the rate` of exchange or maintenance of recirculation. The extent to which recirculation may be kept up, is a factor in heat economy in the incubator operation. The egg shell is porous and the carrying on of life processesI in the egg results in a demand for oxygen and a giving off of carbon dioxide. The fresh air supply is maintained normally for etilcient life supporting conditions in the 'm- .and downward in the hatchin cubator, but may be operated as a. factor in assistin the temperature control, preferably on y downward.`

The 'disclosure is iexible for different capacities of operation and installation. The circulating fan 20 need be used only in such sections as, are charged with eggs. The air flow is upward. Ain the incubating chamber, chamber. The onlyy shifting of the trays 1 s from incubation to hatchin The rocking of ti be effected Without openin the incubator, and all atone time. To t is end from a lower one of the ears 48 of each side of ia lower tray rack, actuating means, here shown as chain 51, extends upward about pulley 52, fast with the top 5, thence through the incubator side 3 to horizontal shaft section 53, carried in bearings 54 on the outer side .of the incubator section 3. Couplings 55 betwen the shaft sections permit the operation of crank 56 to effect tilting or rocking of the entire series of columns of incubating trays.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An incubator section embodying two columns -of incubating trays, a chamber therefor open from one side of the section, a hatching chamber open from the other side of the section, superposed trays in the hatching chamber, therebelow a heating chamber,

e incubating trays may' and a fan between the hatching and heating chambers.

2. An incubator Y embodying columns of fixed pivot bearings in airs and a tray rack mounted in each pair o pivot bearings leaving clearway forthe width of the rack over one of said bearings, said racks each being provided with detachable connecting means to a pair of said bearings permitting rack removal axially through said clearway over one of said beai'ings independently of the rack above or below.

3. An incubator embodying a pluralit of columns of tray racks, means indepen ently mounting the tray racks each on fixed pivots against swinging, fixed guide rollers centrally, of the trayracks and flexible control means exterior of the incubator extending over said rollers to the rack columns for effecting simultaneous rocking of the racks of a plurality of columns, and trays insertable over the fixed end pivot to position on said rack.

In witness whereof I atlix my signature.'

HARRY E.Y ALMENDINER.

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